Signaling device for railways



. April 28, 1925. 1,535,960

' v. J. STEWART SIGNALING DEVICE FOR RAILWAYS Filed Oct. 9, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT J. STEWART, F JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO S. P. LIVINGSTON, OF JACKSONVILLE,

FLORIDA.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR RAILWAYS.

Application filed October 9, 1924. Serial No. 742,681.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, VINoEx'r J. STEWART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Devices for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention relates to a signaling device for railways and it is an object of the invention to provide a signaling device which will automatically close crossing gates upon approach of a train thus keeping the crossing clear and preventing accidents at the crossing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signaling device which, if two trains are in the same vicinity or block, will operate an alarm or signal on each train and thereby apprise the engineer of each of the trains of the presence of the other train so that a collision may be avoided.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a signaling device whereby a signal will be given the engineer of an approaching train if an automobile or other vehicle stalls on the tracksat the crossing in order that the train may be stopped before reaching the crossing.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railway crossing having my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail and wheels;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of one of the crossing gates; and

Figure 7 is a diagram of the wiring.

In the drawings reference character 10 indicates the cross ties of a railway track having rails 11 between which is suspended a bridge 12 on a plurality of springs 13. The bridge 12 is of a length sufiicient to permit an automobile to pass over the same and is adapted to be depressed from a position slightly above the plane of the top of of one of the trolleys the rails to a plane flush with the top of said rails thereby providing a smooth surface or roadway for vehicles. The bridge 12 is provided adjacent each end on its under surface with a transversely extending metallic bar 14 of good conducting quality, said bar having depending curved ends adapted to engage plates 15. one at each end, for completing the circuit.

Extending along the inside of each rail 11 is a trolley wire 16. said trolley wire being insulated from the rail and preferably reaching along the track a mile in each direction from the bridge. A second trolley wire 17 is located in spaced relation from the wire 16. said wire 17 also being insulated from the rail and from the wire 16 and having its inner end attached to one of the plates and extending up the track to a point adjacent the end of the wire 16.

A weighted crossing gate 18 having a light 19 is located diagonally at each side of the crossing and these crossing gates are each adapted to be operated by a motor 20 having\a drum 21 around which is wound a cable 22 attached to the end of the gate 18.

The motor 20 and l ght 19 are provided with a pair of wires 23. one of which is connected to each of the wires 16.

A locomotive not shown is provided with truck wheels 24 insulated from the axle in any conventional manner. These truck wheels as they roll along the rails are adapted to bear against the wires 16. A bell 25 or any other signaling device and a battery 26 or dynamo or other source of electrical energy are carried in each locomotive. The bell and battery are each provided with wiring to the insulated wheels 24. Attached to the under side of the locomotive is a bracket 27 pivotally supporting a trolley 28 carrying a trolley wheel 29. An insulating disk or wheel 30 is also provided for preventing short circuit between the trolley wheel 29 and the rail 11. The trolley is normally held in a depending position by means of a spring 31 which readily permits slight movement of the trolley.

When my device is installed av train may pass over the bridge 12 and wired section of the track continuously with the trolley wheels 29 each time riding on the wires 17 and the wheels 24 contacting the Wires 16' and no alarm or signal will be given except the lights on the crossing gates will be illumined and the gates will be lowered. The gates will remain lowered as long as the train is in the wired section of the track and the electric current can pass from the dynamo or battery 26, through the wiring to wheels 24. through wires 16 and 23 and to the lights 19 and motors 20. As soon as the train has passed beyond the wired section and the electric current is removed from the motors and lights the weights will return the gates to upright position.

If two trains are in the same block or within the limits of the wired section each will complete the circuit for the other and the alarm will be sounded in each train.

In case an automobile is stalled on the bridge 12, the bar 14 completes the circuit and the trolley wheels contacting the wires 17 will cause the alarm 25 to operate and the signal will be given to the engineer.

It'will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my. device may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do not limit myself to the specific form shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention what I claim is:

1. An electric signaling system comprising, in combination. a track. railway rolling stock on said track, a signaling device carried by said rolling stock, a source of electrical energy carried by said rolling stock. a bridge associated with said track said bridge being normally maintained in ele-' vated position and adapted to be depressed for closing the circuit through said signaling device, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in an electric signaling system of a track, railway rolling stock on said track, a signal on said railway rolling stock, a normally open circuit from said signal extending along said track. and a normally elevated bridge adapted to be depressed for closing said circuit and actuat ing said signal. substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in an electric signalof a track, a bridge on said track railway rolling stock on said track, a signal on said rolling stock. a normally open circuit from said signal extending along said track when the rolling stock is aping system,

proaching said bridge. said bridge being ductors, elevating means on said bridge. a-

gap closing element on said bridge adapted to engage the conductors upon the depre:

sion of said bridge whereby thesignaling device will be operated. substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Jacksonville, Florida, this 6th day of October; A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-four.

VINCENT J. STEWART.

Witnesses:

. E. H. FLJZPPER, M. D..

W. I. Lnwrs. 

